HY 1010, Western Civilization I 1 Course Learning .docx

HY 1010, Western Civilization I 1
Course Learning Outcomes for Unit I
Upon completion of this unit, students should be able to:
3. Discuss key individuals in Western culture.
3.1 Identify key figures instrumental in the establishment of
early civilization.
3.2 Identify actions, innovations, and/or events by influential
individuals.
3.3 Discuss how notable individuals through 510 B.C.E.
influenced the modern world.
Course/Unit Learning
Outcomes
Learning Activity
3.1
Unit Lesson
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Unit I Assessment
3.2

Unit Lesson
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Unit I Assessment
3.3
Unit Lesson
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Unit I Assessment
Reading Assignment
Chapter 1: Origins to 1200 B.C.E.
Chapter 2: Small Kingdoms and Mighty Empires in the Near
East, 1200–510 B.C.E.
Unit Lesson
Today, when we refer to the West, its meaning can vary greatly
depending on context, location, and
familiarity of an individual. Looking at a globe, west may
appropriately refer to the left of any specific point for
some people; for others, it can serve as a reminder of a specific
time and place, such as the American
Western frontier. In the context of world history, the West is a
shorthand reference to not just a location but a
people, a socioeconomic tradition, and a common ancestry that
traces its lineage to the earliest examples of
life and society.

In Unit I, we will focus on these earliest traces of world culture
and witness the emergence of the organization
of national, cultural, and societal segregation from a time when
they did not exist. To start, when looking at
the earliest evidence of culture, it is necessary to understand
why periods of time are labeled.
Starting in the 19th century, science and the humanities worked
together to distinguish and divide periods for
ease of reference. This division is central to geology and
archaeology being able to classify millions of years
of undocumented history into an understandable form.
Historians primarily focus on periods with proven
inhabitants, whether the proof is in terms of written, artistic, or
artifactual evidence. The terms Old Stone and
Paleolithic refer to the period from as early as 3.4 million years
ago up to 9000 Before Common Era (B.C.E.),
while New Stone and Neolithic refer to the period directly
following (McKay et al., 2017).
UNIT I STUDY GUIDE
Pre-Civilization
UNIT x STUDY GUIDE
Title

Old and New Stone Eras
There is argument concerning how long ago the earliest hominid
(i.e., erect two-legged mammal) began to
resemble what we today call human. Looking at the Old Stone
era, the years it encompasses reflect a period
in which there is evidence of use of weapons and simple tools,
such as hooks, traps, leather coverings, and
flint for fire. For modern researchers, the mention of stone is a
reference to the materials primarily found in
artifacts from the era.
Scientists and archaeologists today suggest that Homo sapiens
(i.e., thinking humans), who are considered
the direct ancestors of humans today, began to emerge around
200,000 years ago based on evidence found
in an area we now consider as East Africa; approximately 7,000
years ago, they had migrated into Eurasia
(McKay et al., 2017).
Later advances would allow for sea travel and migration to more
distant land masses, including Australia
50,000 years ago and the Americas 15,000 years ago, when the
world warmed enough for such migration to
occur. The divide between the Old Stone and New Stone eras is
the first evidence of the introduction of
agriculture around 9000 B.C.E. (McKay et al., 2017).
While these dates and time spans seem very specific, we must
remember that not all civilizations rose at the
same rate, and the level and type of technology will vary
depending on the region, population, and
geographical nature of any set place. As migration was essential
for survival, due to factors such as climate

and the availability of food, evidence is less concisely located
than it would have been if it were limited to the
boundaries of an ancient city. What historians do find, though,
are symbols of cultural development from
artifacts, such as crude carvings, early forms of musical
instruments, and even jewelry. With these, we can
even see the earliest traces of religion being taught and passed
on from generation to generation (McKay et
al., 2017).
The earliest evidence of the New Stone era can be found in a
region of the current Middle East that is
traditionally referred to as the Fertile Crescent. With the
climate being of a type that allowed for rampant
growth of grains and steady migrations of animals, this region
was ripe for the earliest forms of permanent
settlement, such as Çatal Hüyük, one of the oldest towns ever
found by archaeologists. The Fertile Crescent
remains a very busy region today, encompassing much of the
modern Middle East.
It would not be long, however, before similar population centers
would be seen to emerge throughout Eurasia
and Africa. With the establishment of permanent buildings also
came new evidence of cultural progression.
The harvest of grains required not only tools to till soil, but it
also required woven goods for collection and
pottery for storage and transportation of water. Like early
shelters, these innovations became early artistic
canvasses that can show historians a lot about priorities, civic
processes, and cultural teachings.
Pastoralism, or the system of domesticating livestock for food
and other beneficial products, was also now
possible with permanent structures. The labor, meat, and
products from domesticated animals only made

farming more productive, which allowed for growing
populations.
As these institutions grew, so did early divisions in population
along socioeconomic hierarchies—the earliest
versions of “haves and have-nots.” Those with greater
resources—key figures who were often the heads of
large families or landowners—could choose how their resources
were utilized. In exchange, they could exert
dominance over those in need, which would then establish
structure and order, leading to complex societies
that included political and religious institutions. In many
cultures, men would be tasked with the role of
provider, including hunter and farmer, while women were often
relegated to the role of raising children. At this
time, the heads of families were generally older men, creating
what is today known as a patriarchy. While not
universal, the male-dominated society would become common
throughout Eurasia and Africa during this
period (McKay et al., 2017).
Effects of Trade
With the emergence of urbanization throughout varied
geographies, trade soon became common. Just as
happens today, not every desired item could be cultivated in
every region, so the transport of goods and
UNIT x STUDY GUIDE

Title
consumables, such as spices, metals, and even slaves, became a
major business. With trade, artisans too
began to thrive.
What trade also did was spread knowledge, such as religious
ideas, news of powerful lands, and techniques
for societal improvements. One such improvement was the
smelting of copper from ore to create stronger
tools and weapons. As the smelting process improved, and with
the addition of other metals, a new period of
civilization emerged, called the Bronze Age (ca. 3000–1200
B.C.E.).
One of the more frequently spread ideals would be that of
religion. Whether to answer questions about the
world or to aid in policing a people, religion was a significant
factor in every blossoming society. While most
regions would have their own variations of
stories and traditions, many general beliefs
became common, notably the idea of different
natural phenomena being intentionally directed
by a collection of divine figures or gods. This
concept of many gods and goddesses, each
with an individual purpose, is called
polytheism.
One of the earliest true cultural regions would
be Mesopotamia. Located within the Fertile
Crescent, it included a variety of growing cities
as well as some new cultural staples, such as
temples (including ziggurats), irrigation
networks, and, by 2500 B.C.E., a writing and

numbering system known as cuneiform.
Due to its location, the Sumerian region
especially prospered. It is commonly
associated with early use of the wheel, roads,
and hydraulic projects to tame its surrounding rivers for
expanded use and resources. The Sumerian religion,
too, would inspire what is considered the first epic poem, The
Epic of Gilgamesh, which focuses on a hero-
king and his search for answers to the enduring questions of
humanity (McKay et al., 2017).
The growth and prosperity of some cities also brought some
notable early leaders. Whether due to the need
for more lands or simply the desire to control a new territory,
early militaries were common among the
growing cities. The Akkadian Empire, north of Sumer, is
understood to have had the first permanent army for
these purposes. Starting in 2331 B.C.E., the Akkadian king
Sargon would greatly expand his holdings,
including the takeover of significant parts of Sumer (McKay et
al., 2017).
Hammurabi of Babylon (r. 1792–1750 B.C.E.) also established
his power through military prowess, but he is
best remembered historically for an innovative system of laws,
known as Hammurabi’s law code. While this
law code may be considered harsh or even barbaric by modern
standards because it called for punishments
that were often literally equal to the crime, the actions covered
by individual laws provide modern historians
with a good sense of normal life and concerns from the people.
These include topics such as the quality of the
work done by merchants and artisans; family issues concerning
children, marriage, and adultery; and criminal
negligence of responsibility. Other examples of Mesopotamian

culture include a wide variety of additions to
understood mathematics and even celebratory festivals (McKay
et al., 2017).
Noah's Ark, Epic of Gilgamesh, and "Syncretism"
How do the striking similarities between the Biblical story of
Noah's Ark and
the Sumerian Epic of Gilgamesh reveal how cultures shaped
each other?
Why do we always look for similarities and differences when
studying the
past? Click here for an example of how to compare cultures
when learning
and writing about history.
Computer reconstruction of the great ziggurat built in the city
of Ur
in what is Iraq today
(wikiwikiyarou, 2006)
https://online.columbiasouthern.edu/bbcswebdav/xid-
102948333_1
UNIT x STUDY GUIDE

Title
Ancient Egypt
Perhaps the most recognizable civilization of this period would
be that of the Egyptians. While divided
between an upper and lower kingdom through much of its
history, Egyptian society was built around and
dependent upon the Nile River. Symbols and beliefs were
strikingly different in many aspects from other
cultures around the Fertile Crescent, but the Egyptian culture
still relied on some cultural norms, such as the
ability to predict and control the Nile, military, law, agriculture,
writing (two distinct forms), the importance of
family, trading routes, polytheist beliefs, and a strong central
political authority—the pharaoh.
A pharaoh depended on these traditions and needed to embody
integrity, justice, and truth, which were
considered the staples of harmony, known as ma’at. A pharaoh’s
ability to serve in this role made him
considered a literal god-king—a divine presence overlooking
and blessing the people. Some of the most
iconic symbols of the people’s devotion and worship of these
divine rulers would be their ceremonial
mummification process, symbolic hieroglyphic writing, and
grandiose pyramids constructed to serve as
peaceful resting places for the pharaohs throughout eternity.
Historians today are still able to learn much
thanks to the careful preservation of divine figures and an
Egyptian climate favorable to the preservation of
buildings, artifacts, and documents. One such document is the
Book of the Dead, which outlines the core
beliefs about the afterlife and details that reflect the Egyptians’

direct involvement and association with
numerous distinct gods.
In 1570 B.C.E., Egypt’s successful defense against the
Hyksos—invaders from the North—would usher in a
period called the New Kingdom. This would be a prosperous
period but one that was often marred by battle
with rival societies. There was no shortage of notable leaders,
and this period would set the scene for two in
particular (McKay et al., 2017).
The first was Akhenaton (r. 1351–1334 B.C.E.), who attempted
to change the polytheist tradition to a
monotheistic one focused only on a sun god known as Aton;
however, any success he had with this would
revert after his death (McKay et al., 2017). The second was his
successor and son, who would become
arguably the most well-known king in the culture’s history:
Tutankhamun (r. 1333–1323 B.C.E.). While his
reign and impact at the time were not outrageously notable, the
discovery of his tomb in 1922 by
archaeologist Howard Carter would capture the world’s
attention. Buried underground in the largely hidden
Valley of the Kings, this tomb was found nearly intact,
providing modern historians with knowledge, artifacts,
and treasures that were not present in other surrounding tombs
because they had been stolen by thieves
One of the more dangerous threats to the Egyptians would be
the Hittites. They came from the northern areas
and were known for aggressive military action and infighting
among leadership. In what is perhaps the most
notable conflict of this early period, the Battle of Kadesh (1274
B.C.E.) ultimately ended in a stalemate after
fierce attacks by both sides (McKay et al., 2017).

In 1258 B.C.E., a peace was established between Egypt’s
Ramesses II and the Hittite king Hattusili III, turning
enemies into allies against the growing threats in nearby lands.
Despite the seemingly monumental alliance
between Egypt and the Hittites, less than a century later,
invaders known as Sea Peoples from what is
presumed the Mediterranean would remove all traces of the
Hittite empire, aided by expansion from the
Assyrians. Egypt would retaliate and survive, but its golden age
would come to an end as new threats
emerged (McKay et al., 2017).
In 727 B.C.E. the Kush kingdom from the South would be
pushed into the Nile Valley, and a century later,
they too would be pushed out by Assyrian expansion. Further to
the north and east, in Canaan (now
Lebanon), another power would emerge from the Mediterranean
waters, this time through dominant trade.
Known as the Phoenicians or Purple People—a reference to
their proclivity for coloring fabric, their most
influential trade items included wine, animals, precious metals,
and even a new form of alphabet that
emphasized sounds instead of meanings (McKay et al., 2017).
Just as the smelting of copper with other metals replaced stone,
so too did the discovery of a strong iron
smelting process lead to the end of the Bronze Age in
approximately 1100 B.C.E. The Iron Age is understood
to have emerged from the Fertile Crescent, but with trade routes
now settled throughout the known world, it

UNIT x STUDY GUIDE
Title
would not be long before the iron technology, which was both
more effective and cheaper than bronze, would
become the standard everywhere.
Hebrew Culture
The Phoenicians were not the only Canaanite society that would
come to challenge the established culture.
Originally hailing from the states of Israel and Judah, a new
religion that was purely monotheistic would begin
to spread throughout the diverse region. Unlike the brief
Egyptian conversion to monotheism by Akhenaton, in
which he still considered himself divine as pharaoh, the Hebrew
religion believed in one single divine being:
Yahweh.
Central to the Hebrew faith is the Covenant, or agreement to
worship only Yahweh as His chosen people. The
series of texts (originally scrolls that would become sacred to
this new religion) would come to be known by a
number of names, including the Hebrew Bible and the universal
term “Old Testament,” by other cultures who
would adopt these writings as foundations for their faith. (We
will discuss these “Abrahamic faiths” in later
units.) The first five books are commonly known as the Torah,
though this term can also be used to describe
the entire set of writings depending on context. These writings
describe everything from traditions to daily

practices to principles of society.
Among the strengths of this new religious group would be their
success in overcoming the Philistines despite
seemingly invincible odds. King Saul’s (ca. 1025) bloodline
included other notable leaders: David (r. ca.
1005–965 B.C.E.) and his son Solomon (r. ca. 965–925 B.C.E.),
each of whom guided the culture to new
heights despite strife, gaining their reputation for wisdom under
the guidance of Yahweh (McKay et al., 2017).
Despite these heights, the Hebrew culture, like many in that
region, would face significant external
aggressions and pressures that would sometimes remove them
from their established base in what is now
Jerusalem. These would include an attack by the Assyrians in
722 B.C.E. and the forcible relocation in 587
B.C.E., known as the Babylonian Captivity. The Hebrew
religion remained strong despite these many times of
struggle largely due to their faith, which reinforced that their
bond and strength as a culture did not depend on
a place or a king, as many other cultures did, but only on
following the instructions of Yahweh. It would be this
sense of strength that would help to expand the culture and give
birth to other major faiths in the coming
centuries (McKay et al., 2017).
Rising Empires
For the Assyrians, the Hebrew people were only one of many
cultures that came under attack. Emerging in
the 9th century B.C.E. in northern Mesopotamia, the Assyrians
aggressively expanded their borders to
envelop at least parts of Phoenicia, Israel, Mesopotamia, Syria,
and Babylon. After a period of relative
stability, the rise of the Iron Age would again spark the

motivation to expand, particularly under the leadership
of kings Adad-nirari II (r. 911–892 B.C.E.), Shalmaneser III (r.
858–823 B.C.E.), Sargon II (r. 721–705 B.C.E.),
Sennacherib (r. 705–681 B.C.E.), and Hezekiah (r. ca. 715–686
B.C.E.). Known today as the Neo-Assyrian
Empire, the northern half of the Arabian Peninsula along with
Babylonia, Syria, and Phoenicia would fall
Perhaps the most notable leader of this period would be Queen
Shammuramat, or Semiramis (r. 810–806
B.C.E.), known for a range of attributes from her wisdom and
patronage to her legendarily lecherous
behavior. While there is evidence of siege machines, the success
of the Assyrian military was not based in
technology or tactics as much as it was in sheer size, with
upwards of 70,000, most marching with spear or
bow and fortified armor. Biblical record does emphasize one
very important outlier in the Assyrian history—
the inability to capture Jerusalem in the eighth century B.C.E.,
which the Hebrew tradition interprets as a
symbol of the influence and power of Yahweh. This mighty
empire, however, would fall quicker than it rose, by
the hand of an alliance between the Babylonians (now Neo-
Babylonians) and Medes, from Northern Iran, in
612 B.C.E. From this fall though, another even more powerful
force would soon rise (McKay et al., 2017).
Nebuchadnezzar II (r. 604–562 B.C.E.) led the Neo-Babylonians
into Jerusalem, destroying the city, and
oversaw the Babylonian captivity of the Hebrew people. With
the goal to resurrect and supersede even the
great king Hammurabi, this new culture would embrace
grandeur, including the Hanging Gardens of legend.
However, plague and ill management of trade made them
vulnerable to an unlikely enemy—their once-ally

the Medes, who now sought support from modern Iran: the
Persian Empire. Having defeated the greatest
UNIT x STUDY GUIDE
Title
threat, the Persian king Cyrus the Great (r. 559–530 B.C.E.)
conquered the Medes but did not enslave and
slaughter; instead, he united the populations (McKay et al.,
2017).
What set Cyrus apart from many of the figures before him was
his desire to secure his border and broaden
his empire by means of tolerance and benevolence toward new
allies. He did this while keeping a heavily
defended core of localized administrators called satraps to
ensure Persian influence and culture, though often
allowing native cultures to exist as well in these territories.
This approach spread his legend throughout the
ancient states and allowed him to collect great wealth and
influence by controlling and communicating across
vast lands, including key ports and trade routes.
By assuming the role of liberator rather than conqueror, he
oversaw the emergence of the largest empire in
history to that point. Among those liberated by Cyrus were the
Hebrew people, who were allowed to return to

Jerusalem. They were even given resources to rebuild the
temple destroyed by the Neo-Babylonians.
Emergence
Following Cyrus would first be his son, Cambyses (r. 530–522
B.C.E.). Then, after the questionable death of
Cambyses, Darius I (r. 521–486 B.C.E.) assumed power. Both
Cambyses and Darius continued the
expansion of the Persian lands. While Persian force eventually
hit an insurmountable wall, most famously with
Xerxes’ (r. 486–465 B.C.E.) failed attacks against the Spartans,
the empire continued to thrive until a Greek
general named Alexander surpassed even Cyrus (McKay et al.,
2017).
It could be argued that neither Cyrus nor Darius had the
potential to influence the world as much as another
Persian figure has—a preacher named Zoroaster. Starting
around 600 B.C.E., Zoroaster became the core
personality of a religious movement that taught all people that
they had the free will to choose between a
benevolent life following Ahuramazda, a divine figure
exemplifying truth and creation, or a darker path often
affiliated with another figure, Angra Mainyu. This religious
fervor was dubbed Zoroastrianism (active still
today and known as Parsis), a dualist religion unlike any before
it but one that grew steadily as the Persian
Empire expanded. Symbols and ideas from this teaching were
even utilized by the Persian kings (McKay et
al., 2017).
Aside from the figures of divinity, Zoroastrianism would
borrow concepts from multiple previously established
religions, including the Egyptian gods and Judaism, while
remaining a unique concept. This religion became

so popular that it too influenced other religions and traditions.
It remains active today despite the emergence
of other, larger mainstream religions in communities around the
globe.
At this point, the common elements of civilization—trade,
politics, religion, communication, art, military—have
emerged in many areas around the globe. However, as of this
point, there is not yet a clear distinction of what
is meant by Western culture. As we move into the next unit, this
line begins to be drawn. Already by this point,
core ambitions that still drive modern cultures have started to
show themselves. Going forward, it is important
to pay attention to how these ambitions begin to divide and
separate populations and how influences, such as
location, geography, and even climate, truly begin to affect
these common elements.
References
Colavito, J. (n.d.). The epic of Gilgamesh: Adapted and
modernized from the translation of William Muss-
Arnolt. Retrieved from http://www.jasoncolavito.com/epic-of-
gilgamesh.html
McKay, J. P., Hill, B. D., Buckler, J., Crowston, C. H.,
Wiesner-Hanks, M. E., & Perry, J. (2017). A history of
Western society: From Antiquity to the Enlightenment (12th
Concise ed., Vol. 1). Boston, MA:
Bedford/St. Martin’s.

[Photograph of the Flood Tablet]. [ca. 700–800 B.C.]. Retrieved
from
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=10755114
Wikiwikiyarou. (2006). Ziggurat of Ur [Image]. Retrieved from
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ziggurat_of_ur.jpg

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